Retort for distilling oil shale and the like



June 24, 1930'. v M. R. kRAUL i RETORT PQR DISTILLING QIL SHALE AND THE'LIKE NIX/v L fm d vf lilla Guion/w14 June 24,1930: M. R, KRAUL 1,766,132

RETORT FOR DISTLLING OIL SHALE-AND THE LIKE Filed Junezo, 1927 v5Sheets-sheet '2 Jne 24, 17930. l M R. KRAUL` Y 1.,.766J3'2V RETORTFORDISTILLNG O11J SHALE'AND THE LAKE Filed mile 2o, 1927 s sheets-sheet4 5...,"1 v 1 ft 7 ld* i] /0l Patented June 24, 1930 VuNrrl-:D STATESPATENT oFr-lcr:

MAGNUs RUDOLF KBAUL, oFronTLAND, OREGON; ANNA n KRAUL, ADMINISTRA- TRD;QE SAID MAGNUs n. KRAUL, nnomsnn RTORT FOR DISTILLING OIL SHALE ANDTELEv LIKE v Application led June 20,

My invention relates to vertical retortsl adapted to destructivedistillation of the hydro-carbons of various hydro-carbon bearingsubstances, and my inventionv especially relates to the destructivedistillation andv extraction of crude oilfrom oil shales.

The object of my .invention is to provide simple means for arranging thematerial to beA ,retorted in the form of a relatively thin ver-l ticalsheet composed of layers or small portions superimposed one upon theother, so that the layers or portions of the material will becomequickly heated to the required temperature.

A further object of my inventionis to provide a retort comprising avertical rectangular elongate enclosure consistingof walls on 'two sidesand one end, and divided on the interior by longitudinal spaced wallsinto a distilling chamber, and a heating chamber on each side of thedistilling chamber, with heating means located ineach of said heatingchambers, so that both sides of the sheet of material will besimultaneously and con- 25, stantly exposed to the heat; and, further toprovide within and adjacent each of the longitudinal side wal-ls of thedistilling cham'- ber a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves,extending inward and sloping down'- ward, and arranged in staggeredrelationship With-each other, whereby to hold small portions or layers:of the material to be retorted, and feed the same from an u per shelfonto va lower. By such constructlon a relatively thin sheet of the shalepasses constantly through my retort and has both sides of the sheetsubjected to the generated heat in the ilistilling chamber, so that thetemperature of the shale may be quickl raised to the temperaturerequired, and t e reaction of the -shal to the heating will becontinuous and rap1 A further object of my invention is to provide forthe ready removal, repair and replacement of the said shelves as maybecome necessary in service; and to that end I employ a removable framewithin the distilling chamber which frame carries the said'series ofvertically spaced horizontal shelves, the'spaces under theshelvesfunctioning as gas collect- 1927.- Serial No. 200,074.

-ing sheds andV passageways, which open into said gas collectingchamber.

Further features of my invention, the details of construction of mretort and the y .mode of' operation thereo are' hereinafter fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 shows a transverse central vertical `section, taken on the line1-1 of Eig. 3, and illustrates my retortl comprising two units;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective View of the removable frame, supporting thematerial holding shelves; v y

Fig. 3 shows a Vcentral vertical section taken. throughl one of the-distilling chambers in Fig. 1, and illustrates the details ofconstruction;

' Fig. 4 shows av horizontal sectiontaken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l, andillustrates further details of construction;

Fig. 5 shows an end elevation of my retort of two units.

Myretort is preferably constructedto consist of a number of units, aretort of two units being shown in the drawings supported on aAfoundation a and enclosed at the sides b walls b and atA one end by awall z', all'pre erably of brick. l

. The distilling chambers c are formed by spaced walls d of steel platesalso spaced from t e walls of the retort, by which heating chambers eare also formed the latter cham? bers being lclosed by end walls d', seeFigs. 1 and 4. t

Within each distilling chamber 0, I provide a removable elongate frameg, Fig. 2, both of the side walls of whichare provided von the interiorwith a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves L, slopingdownwardly at 'an angle of approximately 45 degrees, the

respectively are arranged in staggered relatiOnShip,v said shelvesbeing-adapted to carry a relatively thin Vlayer of shale each withtheupper-'shelves discharging on the lower. 95 One end of the retort isalso closed by a brick'wall i, see Fig. 4, and the frame g will beinserted into the distilling chamber c and spaced from the said wall byyflanges g', see' Fig. 3, thus forming a gas chamber j. The

' end ofthe frame adjacent the gas chamber At the top of each distillingchamber, I

provide hoppersm, the hopp-ers being connected to each other anddischarging into the said distilling chamber, respectively, and a stack2 fromthe heating chamber is arranged between the two hoppers and isconnected to an outlet 3. By this arrangement waste heat the shale iiithe hoppers before the shale is admitted into the distilling chamber.

The heating chambers located on the outer sides of the distillingchambers are provided with outlets 4 for the products of combustion.

A rotatable gate n is provided at the bottom of the hopper m, throughwhich the admission of the shale into the distilling cham` vbei' -iscontrolled. t A rotatable grate o is provided 4at the bottom of thedistilling chamber, and both-the gate fn. and grate 0 are connected bychains p I and sprockets g so that they may be operated in unison todischarge the spent shale as fresh oil shale is admitted at the, top..

A conveyor belt 1' is arranged below each of the distilling chambers tocarry oil the spent shale to another conveyor belt s outside the retortby which the spentl shale may be conveyed to the dump or cars.

I provide ducts 5 leading through the end wall from densers. v

4In the' operation of my retort the distilling chambers will be chargedwith oil shale .crushed to pieces of about one inch in size, and

the retort will be heated until a temperature of approximately .800degrees F. `has been A veryv narrow distilling chamber and by providinthe said inwardly and downwardly exten ing shelves k therein, I amenabled to treat a very narrow sheet of oil shale, since the saidshelves provide increased heating surface in relation to the volume ofshale to be treated, and the entire section of ore is thus quicklyraised to the required temperature at which the hydrocarbons areseparated from the oil shale in gaseous form and will pass under theshelves h throughy the vents 7s and` thence Ainto the gas chamber, andfrom there through the pipes 5 and 6 to an atmospheric condenser, sincethe gate 'n andthe grate o also serve to seal the retort at the top andbotases from the heating chambers serve to prethe gas chambers j, topipes v6v vwhich may be connected to atmospheric con other, whereby tohold tom and prevent any of the gaseoushydrocarbons from escapingthrough 'the hoppers or from the bottom of the distilling chambers.

vThe thin sheet of oil shale contained inthe distilling chambers willnot pack at the bot tom by its own weight, but will be supported more orless by the downwardly sloping shelves when at rest, at the saine timewill readily move downward over the shelves when the spent shale isbeing taken from the bottom of 'the distilling chamber.

The oil shale generally commences to give oil' the hydrocarbons somewhatbefore the temperature of 800 degrees F. is reached and by the time theoil shale has been subjected to this degree of heat for about fortyminsince it pers m which shorten the time required for raising the oilshales to this temperature, all the hydrocarbons will have beendistilled and the gate n and grate o which are adapted to operatein`unison will be operated to admit oil s hale into the distillingchamber and discharge the distilling chambers at such a rate that utes,

it will require approximately this period'of forty minutes to passthrough it.

Along with the hydrocarbons'comprising the crude oil, otherincondensible gases of hydro-carbon compounds are given off which f Ihavefound to be economically useful 'as fuel for the gas burners '10, asthese incondensible gases have a low burning point, high heat value, andburn with little waste.

. Another byproduct, ammonium sulphate, is commonly obtained from oilshales, and with my retort I economically produce ammonium sulphate inquantityiand quality to any other retorts within my knowl-A equaledge,'which I may separate in atmospheric condensers easily, since, I donot use super- 'has been preheated in the hop- I theA spent shale fromthe bottom of mev heated steam, as the agent of distillation,

which tends to complicate the recovery.

I claim:

l. In a retort, the combination of a vertical rectangular enclosurecomprising walls on two sidesxand one end, longitudinal walls within thesaid enclosure arranged to divide the same into a. central elongatedistilling chamber and a heating chamber on each side lof the distillingchamber, heating means located in each heating chamber, wall sectionsclosing the other ends of saidfheating chambers, and removable wallplates secured to saidwall sections closing theV same end of thedistilling chamber, a rectangular 'elongate frame in said distillingchamber, saidframe comprising two opposite spaced sides each supportinga series of ve tically spaced horizontal shelves extending inward midwayof the distilling chamber and sloping downward with`the vshelves of oneseries arranged in staggered relationshi with those ofthe Iiayers of thematerial being retorted, and to feed thesame from iso collectingchamber, at one end within the latter, spaces under the shelves adaptedto constitute gas-collecting sheds.and passageways and which open intosaid gas-collecting chamber, said latter chamber adapted to be connectedto gas withdrawing means.

2. In a retort, the combination of, a vertical rectangular enclosurecomprising walls l on two sides and one end, longitudinal walls of thedistilling chamber,

cated in' each heating chamber, wall sections p closing theother ends ofadapted to be connected means.

' A ,tillin within the said enclosure arranged to divide the same intoan elongate central distilling chamber and a heating chamber on eachside heating means 1osaid heating chambers, and removable wall platessecured to said wall sections closing the same end of the distillingchamber, arectangular elongate removable frame in said distillingchamber, said frame comprising two opposite Aspaced sides eachsupporting a series of vertically' spaced horizontal shelves extendinginward midway of the distilling chamber and sloping downward, with ltheshelves of one series arran ed in' staggered relationship with thbse othe other, whereby to hold lay- .ersof the material. being retorted, andto yfeed the same from'an upper shelf onto a lower, said frame bein oflesser length horizontally than the disti 'ng chamber thereby todprovide a gas-collecting chamber at one en within the latter, thespaces under shelves adapted to constitute gas-collecting sheds andassageways which open intov said gas-co ecting chamber, said latterchamber to gas withdrawing 3. In a retort, the combination of a verticalrectangular inclosure, the interior of the inclosure subdivided intopluraLdistilling units, each composed of longitudinal spaced wallsenclosin a central distilling chamber and a heatin i cham) er, heatingmeans located in said eatinlg chambers, the interior of the distilling camber provided with a frame comprising two opposite spaced sides eachside supporting a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelvesextending inwardmidway of the distilling chamber and sloping downwardwith the shelves in staggered relation with those of the other, wherebyto `hold layers of the material being retorted and feed the same from anupper shelf onto a lower, agascollectin chamber provided at one end ofthe distilllng cham` bers respectively, y shelves adapted-to sheds andpassageways which open into said gas collecting chambers,vsaidlatter'chamber adapted to be connected to gas withdrawing means.

With those said latter chamber adapted to chamber, said amber on eachside of the disof one series arranged.

means for heating the two opposite sides thereof, the interiordistilling chamber provided with av frame comprising two opposite spacedsides each side supporting a series of vertically spaced horizontalshelves extending inward midway of the distilling chamber and slopingdownward, with the shelves of' one series arranged in staggered relationof'A the other, whereby to holdlayers of vthe material -being retortedand to feed thesame from an upper shelf onto a lower, provided at oneend of the distilling chamer, spaces under the saidshelvesco'nstitutingA gas-collecting sheds and assageways which openinto said gas-collectlng chamber, be connected to gas-withdrawing means.4

5. :In a retort, the combination of, a vertical .rectangular narrowdistilling chamber,l means for heating the two opposite sides thereof,the interior distilling chamber provided with a removable -framecomprising opposite spaced sides each side supporting a series ofvertically spaced horizontal shelves extending fi'nward and slopingdownward, with the shelvesof one series arranged in staggered relationwith those of the other,

whereby to hold layers of the material being retorted and to feed thesame from an upper shelf onto alower, .a gas-collecting chamber providedat one end ofthe distilling chamber, spaces under the said shelvesconstituting gas-collecting sheds and passageways. which open into saidgas-collecting connected lto gas-withdrawing means.

MAGNUS RUDOLF KRAUL.

spaces under the said,V constitute 'gas-collecting a gas-collectingchamber latter chamber adapted'toibeYYYVV

